HARRISBURG, Pa. -- While Pennyslvania's budget stalemate drags on, about half of the state's workforce who were due back pay got paid on Friday and most of the rest got their checks on Monday.
State Treasurer Rob McCord said that the first batch of payments went to those who received partial checks on July 24, along with employees in the judicial system, the Auditor General's office and the Treasury Department. On Monday, the treasurer's office paid those who received partial pay on July 17 and no pay on July 31.
Special legislation was signed by Gov. Ed Rendell last week to start paying about 77,000 state workers who missed at least some of what they had earned since the start of July, when the budget impasse began.
State workers at the Public Utility Commission, retirement funds and other similarly funded agencies won't be paid until separate authorization is approved.
Pennsylvania has been operating without a budget since July 1. County governments and school districts are scrambling to cope without state funds.
"Unless a budget is passed within the next few weeks, hospitals, counties, cities, schools and state contractors will run out of money and be forced to lay off employees," said Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Cambria.
Rendell and his Democratic allies favor a budget that mixes spending cuts with tax increases, while Republicans are opposed to any plan that calls for a tax hike.
Spreadsheet: See A Comparison Of Budget Proposals So Far Related: 6 Years Later, Rendell Again Tests Senate GOPMore than 20 banks and credit unions have agreed to help state employees who had payless paydays by giving them low-interest loans or lines of credit.
A complete list of all help that's available to state employees during the budget impasse is posted at
www.oa.state.pa.us.
Related Link: Frequently Asked Questions About The Budget Impasse
Copyright 2009 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
